Kingdom Hearts III: Closer to Reality
by Ice Miko
Summary: What happens when the nobody and heartless of the same Other meet? Will that Other become whole Or leave a creature with only darkness... And what of Riku, losing his place in this tale as Sora and Kairi become closer? And Lyrae, Forgotten and alone...
1. Chapter 1 The Summons

Added Note, Sept 24, 2008 -

This is an actual story. Not a fandom fic, where I write about 'myself' and some character I'm madly in love with and pair us up,  
or run around writing yaoi or simply doing things because everyone's wanted to see them done.

**This is an ACTUAL story.  
**with an actual plot, and made in such a way that it would fit in perfectly as a third game (though, not in game format)

so if you came here looking for fandom, don't waste a single second more, this is not the story for you.

However, if you're looking for something that delve deeper into the mystical world(s) of Kingdom Hearts...

Read on...what you might find will suprise you...

**This is the begining of a tale that tells both of sadness, and happiness...  
A final desicion must be made...**

What is it to feel? And yet to Die?

Roxas: we know. get on with it.  
Me:Oh...shush P  
Axel: How come I have to be a ghost?  
Me: SHHH! Don't tell.  
Namine: Bad Axel! -wags finger-  
Roxas: Hi Namine.  
Namine: Yay, Roxas! -tackleglomps-  
Roxas: ok,ok, glad to see you too, but your crushing my spleen!  
Namine: -blushes- oops sorry!  
Me: -rolls eyes-  
Roxas-san: heya Icey-chan!  
Me: eep! how did you get here? -hides-  
Roxas: why is there two of me?  
Roxas-san: I'm not you, I'm...  
Roxas: o.O  
Me: Alright, Alright, I'm going to start the story before this AN gets to insane...

Disclaimer: I do not own KH or any of the characters, who are owned by the AMAZING people at Square ('cept Lyrae, who's MINE :3), or the music listed through the story , though i do own Riku and Roxas's souls.

Lyrae is my character, if you steal, YOU DIE  
(if you'd like to use her as a guest charracther, sure, as long as you give me some credit x3. Message me a link to your story too).  
If you want to use a similar philosophy (the whole Nobody + Heartless, Rage Creature...thing...hmm I should come up with a name...) ask me first!

**IMPORTANT NOTE: this story goes by that Rikku, Paine, and Yuna were not fairies, and instead died fighting Sin on Spira,  
and Tidus was a nobody who was helping Yuna fight Sin, and noone knows what happened to him afterwards.  
Larxene is the only previous member of Organization XII (Orgn. XII) still existing in this particular story.**

Any other changes will be mentioned later.  
In my version, Axel gave a small figurine made of Ice to Sora when he was dieing.  
It is now, however, in Riku's charge, because Sora is iresponsible.

**Chapter I - The Summons**

* * *

"Why you are sitting out here all alone while Namine and Roxas are over there drawing pictures in the sand?"  
Came the all to familiar, and annoying voice, as he chuckled.

"Why do you care? Why are you even still here, bothering me?  
And that's Sora and Kairi, you should refer to them like that. not by their nobodies." Riku remarked.  
The hooded figure leaned against a nearby Palm tree. He grinned.

"Fragments of my soul are floating around in your brain. They were probably stuck with my ice figure." He sighed, "  
Roxas was never good at catching things.  
Had a bit of clumsiness in him. Pity it broke. Oh well. She'll be able to fix it." Riku glanced up from the rock he was sitting on.

"Who's 'she'? Kairi?" Riku questioned. The cloaked one smiled and shook his head. Wrong.

"Just make sure she gets it back. She worked hard on it."

"Wait, how am I supposed to give it back if I don't know who she is?" Riku stood up now, crossing his arms, hoping for more information.  
The hood came down, revealing the face he had come to know well, as he grinned his signature grin and stood up, turning to face Riku.

"You'll figure something out." and with that he slowly disapated into the air.

Riku grumbled, and picked up a nearby stone, chucking into at the ocean.  
It sunk with a plop, disturbing a nearby seagull that was fishing.

The angered gull turned to face Riku, smacking at him for nearly pegging him with the stone.

"Oh, shoo, stupid bird, I didn't hit you!" He muttered fiercely, and then laughed.

"Oh great, first I'm talking to a dead guy's ghost, and now I'm talking to a seagull. Great job, Riku, you have finally lost it." He sighed, looking down at the ground

"Who ya talking to?" said Sora, as he poked his head up from high in a palm tree a little ways off.

"Nobod--Hey what are you doing up there?" Riku said, standing up to peer at the ridiculous looking Sora. "And where'd Kairi go"

"I'm here too." said Kairi, her head appearing in his line of vision next to Sora. Riku, slightly shocked, and wondering how in the blazes she got up there, stared upwards in bewilderment.

"What are you two doing up...oh forget it, I don't want to know." Kairi chuckled. Riku sighed again,

"I'm gonna head back home. I'll seeya guys later." He waved as he turned away. Kairi smiled.

"OK-dokey! " her head disappeared from veiw, shortly followed by Sora's. Riku shook his head and started trudging through the sand back to the mainland.

* * *

_(next day)_

"Hey Riku, GuessWhatGuessWhatGUESSWHAT!!" Sora sprinted down the road, attacking Riku and grabbing him by the shoulders.

"Ah, what?! Get OFF me!" Riku said, struggling to get rid of Sora. Sora leapfrogged over Riku, landing in front of him and shoved a roled up parchment in his face.

"And what the heck is that?" Riku said, reflexively moving backwards so he wouldn't be poked blind permanently by the scroll.

"King Mikey is going to The World That Never Was, ya know, where all the nobodies were, to inspect it and see if anymore major nobodies popped up and stuff, and he wants US to come with him!!" Sora said joyfully. "He invited me and you and Kairi and he's gonna pick us up in a gummi ship tomorrow at noon! SO you coming? Of course you are, meetcha at the beach at 12!" he was off, skipping all the way home.

"Roxas was never this hyper." came a voice. Axel was back, standing on a brightly colored rooftop to the left.

"What do you want?" Riku said, slightly angry at being disturbed by his apparition again. Axel just laughed.

"You're going to the Castle tomorrow. Make sure she gets the fragments of that figure... 'kay?"  
He said, jumping down and poking Riku's forehead to emphasize the point.  
"Now I must be off!. I'll come bother you some other time." the cloaked Axel disappeared.

"You still haven't told me who she is." Riku muttered under his breath

* * *

Didja Like?  
NO, you prolly hated it v.v Don't worry, it gets a WHOLE lot better. I just suck and beginnings. the middle is going to rock your socks off -evil grin-

so...please comment? -puppy dog eyes- I haven't heard from anyone in so long...-pouts-

**July 24, 08 EDITED SO NOT TO BE AS HORRID.  
Man, I couldn't type! X.X**

Promise you the latest chapters aren't as bad as this one.


	2. Chapter 2 Aftermath Part I

Response to Reveiw (notice the singular):  
OMG it ate my text ;-;. Sorry about the crappy spacing, i only have notepad on this computer . Thanks for telling me though, I went and fixed it . And I'll keep the rest of your advice in mind . THANKYOUTHANKYOUTHANKYOU for the review. I never get any. you are LOOOVED! x3  
I went and read your story very nice. Cookie for you

Roxas-san: O.o.  
Me: Oh...shush...I never get reveiws.  
Axel: Maybe if you could write better...  
Me: but but but...;-;  
Roxas-san: Don't be so mean, Axel  
Axel: Fine Fine, I'm sorry, GOSH.  
Axel: ...  
Axel: Where are Roxas and Namine anyways?  
Lyrae: They said they were going to see a movie. 5 hours ago.  
Riku: ...maybe two movies?  
Axel: that sounds more like 3. or 4  
Me: o.O What movie are they watching?  
Lyrae: some uber-long romance-stuff. Boring.

Disclaimer: standard disclaimers from previous chapter apply.

[Running Chapter2.exe in aproximatly 2.38 seconds...

Chapter 2 - The Aftermath of Organization XII

The gummi ship door silently glided up, revealing King Mickey in his usual wear.

"Hey guys! Glad you could make it!" His face was all smiles as he quickly stepped out of the way to allow Sora and Kairi room to exit the ship. Riku followed shortly.

"Note to self: never let Sora drive EVER AGAIN." he said jokingly, smiling as he joined them on the platform, ducking to avoid bonking his head on the overhead door. The smile suddenly disapeared, as he stared straight ahead. Some ways off by the entrance into the Castle of the nobodies, there lurked a figure clad in a dark cloak, the hood up, concealing the face. Standard Organization wear. His mind quickly ran through a series of thoughts. _The Organization was back? Wait, no, Sora destroyed them all, except for Larxene, she was banished first, could that be Larxene then? Whoever it is, are they going to attack, should we strike first or..._

"Oh no! The Organization! Die!" Sora quickly summoned his keyblade, dashing forward, preparing to strike...

"Wait Sora." Riku stopped him, grabbing him by the shoulder. Sora, both shockde and appaled, knocked away Riku's hand, turning to face him.

"It's the Organization, don't you remember what happened last time? If we don't fight them off..."

"Calm down. Think, for a moment. You destroyed 11 members, correct? Roxas is now part of you, and Larxene was banished by Xemnas previous to your arrival here. That person over there," He gestured towards the figure, "is a good bit shorter than Larxene. From the Bios DiZ showed me, Larxene would not stand there silently, in plain veiw of us. Whoever that is, it's not an Organization member. Though I wonder why they are dressed like one." A chuckle.

"You thought I was Larxene? That bitch has too much pride; she'd never show her face around here."

"Who are you? Why are you dressed like that? What are you doing here?" yelled Sora. The figure ignored all of the short boy's questions, instead replying,

"Come. Anzem has been waiting for you." the cloaked one disapeared. Sora ran to the spot where it has stood.

"It's gone." He said, looking around in bewilderment.

"Ansem? Ansem's here?" Mickey said, eyes perked up. He rushed down the corrider before anyone could say anything. Sora ran after him

"Your Highness, wait! we need to figure out who that was before we follow..." His voice faded as he chased after the King. Riku remained, deep in thought. Who was that person? And DiZ...was he still alive? surely he had died...

"Riku, You coming?" Kairi said, peering at him from the hallway, pulling him out of his pondering.

"Hmm? Oh, I'm coming." Kairi left, following after Sora and Mickey.

"Wait for me guys!!" she said, trying to catch up. Riku shook his head. _I'm sure everything will clear up soon. Nothing to do but go on in._ And with that he entered the castle.

They were in a small office like room. It's walls were completly blank, the area practically empty, saving a small bookshelf, and a large desk. The desk was covered in many papers, the handwriting scribbled and drawn out, with a few sketchs of unusual creatures. There was a small pencil holder, filled with a few pens and pencils, as wel as a transparent Ruler and Magnifying glass. Seated at that desk was a familiar face.

"Ansem!" Mickey cried with delight. "I thought surely you had died!" Ansem stood.

"Ah yes, you speak of my predessor. My Other, who I once was. He did die. I am Anzem, and this is our first meeting." Mickey stopped midway on his journey towards Anzem, looking confused.

"His heart was strong, and I am a product of that. I am his nobody." He paused for a moment to allow this to all sink in. "King Mickey, do you understand better now?" a shadow crossed Mikey's face. He slowly nodded.

"Yes. I understand."

"I do retain his memories however, and I know you both were great friends. I'm always apt to make new memories. Come. Let me show you around the Castle." He gestured towards another door, which assumably led deeper into the World that Never Was. Riku mentally sighed. So this person wasn't DiZ...He looked up, his eyes drawn to the figure who was standing behind Anzem's chair. It was the same person from earlier. Sora and Kairi noticed it to.

"Who are you?" said Sora, none too kindly. The figure disapeared. Kairi whacked Sora lightly on the arm.

"Look, you scared whoever it was away. Be nice, Sora!" she went off after Anzem and King Mickey, who were procceeding down another passageway.

"What? What'd I do? What did I do?" He said inocently looking to Riku for sympathy. Riku simply shook his head, and followed after Kairi.

"What? Will not my best friend pity me?" He sighed loudly. No one gave him any notice.

"Kairi! Kairi! wait for meee! aww c'mon, please? I'm sorry!!!" He dashed past Riku, in an attempt to catch up with Kairi. Riku glanced back at wear the mysterious person had been earlier. _Who was that?_

[End of Chapter2.exe. System shuting down

Likelikelike?  
Of course not. that one sucked too xP Ah well. ch3 we will get to the interesting part. secrets within secrets and stuff.

R&R pweese?


	3. Chapter 2 Aftermath Part II

Muhahahah! now we get to move on to the fun stuff -evil grin-

[Running program Chapter2-2.exe...

"Hey, Riku, What did you think of her?" Riku arubtly spun around, locating the source of the voice. It came from a spikey-haired figure in a cloak leaning against one of the gleaming white walls. Axel. Riku sighed.

"Not you again..." Axel grinned, revealing sparkling white teeth. He ran his hand through his flame-red hair.

"She seems kinda steely, hmm? She doesn't like socializing." Axel stood up off the wall, turning to face Riku. His smile was gone, replaced by a serious gaze, one tha rarely crossed his face. "Don't let her get to you, though. She's afraid of trusting anyone. That's why she pushes everyone away." Riku crossed his arms over his chest, slightly anoyed.

"You **still **haven't told me who exactly this person is." Axel laughed, then faded away, his chuckle echoeing eerily still for a moment afterweird.

"O.o weird..." Riku shook his head, then continued down the hallway. Sora and Kairi were long gone, probably having caught up with King Mickey and Anzem by now. Oh well, it was a straight pathway, he should run into them eventually, unless...

"...Darn." The hallway forked into three pathways, the one continuing forwards leading to an obvious dead end, a window looking outwards to a luminous moon. _Which way did they go?_  
Suddenly, a dark vortex apeared in front of the window. A dark figure stepped out. The warphole vanished, leaving the person silhoutted by the bright moon.

"Are you lost?" Though slightly shocked at the sudden materialization of the mystery man, Riku pretended otherwise.

"...Sort of, I suppose." he answered, trying to hide his suprise. The figured vanished, reapearing in front of the left path. It gestured behind it with it's arm.

"They went this way." A portal of darkness opened behind it. It turned, and began to go. Riku quickly ran forward, grabbing it's arm, preventing it from leaving.

"Wait." The figure paused midstep (or glide, as it were). "I cannot alow you to go unless yuo tell me who you are and why you are dressed in Organization wear." Silence. Riku thought for a moment that whoever it was would jsut disapate out of his grip without revealing an identity. But then, it spoke:

"I am..."

MUHAHAHAHAH! Cliffy xD

Axel: you are SO evil.  
I know x3

Sorry this update is short, but I'll be giving you guys two (yeah, you heard me right, **TWO) **updates today

so **R&R! **

pweese? ;-;

I mean, 135 hits is awesome, but only two people took the time out to reveiw?  
I generally R&R back if you guys reveiw ya know...


	4. Chapter 3 New Beginings

Chapter 3 - New Beginings

She awoke to find herself in a room with blank walls. The utter lack of furnature or windows gave the room a cold feeling. She felt light headed and dizzy. And she had a splitting headache.  
She rubbed her eyes, and massaged her temples, hoping that the ehadache would dissapate, or at least lesson. No use. And what were these weird clothes she was wearing? She fingered the half-skirt, which faded from Blue to white with three sets of ruffles. She pulled on the black short-shorts, trying to make them longer to no avail. She glanced at the two ornate guns lying next to her. Those were hers. How she knew this, she could not explain.

"Ergh...What happened?" she wondered outloud. All she could remember was the stormy waters of Sin, the blast of black magic, the smell of a hundred drowned corpses. And Tidus...Tidus falling, the look on his face as the fiends closed in and he realized what was his fate.She had ran forward to him then, casting white magic, in an attempt to save him. Rikku's warning yells, as she attempted to keep me from going to him in an hopeless attempt. And his last words...the words he whispered as he fragmented away...no pyre-flies coming from him as would normally...

"Don't cry...I've never really existed..." His fragments filled the air.

And then there was darkness.

A small tear, like raindrop slowly fell from her face. Wait, what was that? she looked to her right, then sudenly dashed forward.

"Rikku!" She picked up the unconsious girl, shaking her in attempt to revive her. her eyes blinked a couple times, focusing. Rikku sat up, brushing her many braids backwards.

"Owies, I've got this major headache." she whined. "And why are you in such weird clothes, Yunie?" She looked down at herself, sligtly astonished at her own garments.  
"This is SO weird. At least these sleave thingies look cool." She linked a couple times.  
"Wait, what happened? Wheres Everyone else? And what happened to Sin?" She tried to stand, and nearly fell over.

"It's been a while." The searched for the sourse of the sound, finding a tall female leaning agaisnt the single doorway, around 18 or 19 in age, dressed almost completly in black, a skll on her belt, as well as her huge sword which lay losely in her hand.  
"Been a while since anybody new came by." She stood up, turning to face them. "The name's Paine. Im sure you guys are probably confused on how you got here.You two must have had strong hearts to come here. When someone with a strong heart dies, their body still retains life, and forms a Nobody. I am such, and so are you." She swung her sword over her shoulder. "Anzem's seeing to some guests and the other one...well, it's anyones guess what she's up to. I'll show you to your rooms." She left the room, procedding down a hallway. Rikku and Yuna blinked, completly confused. The girl named Paine's head popped back into veiw.  
"So... you two coming, or what?"

* * *

* * *

"That area has been barred off. It is completly unstable." He gestured towards a large door, completly bound in weird translusent purple streams of energy. "That was where Xenas was defeated. For some reason, after his death, the entire area constantly fluctuates between this world and a realm of utter darkness." Mickey nodded.

"May I ask a question? How many new nobodies have come here since we've last been here?" Anzem paused for a moment, trying to remember.

"Only about three or four. One returned to his home world, and we haven't heard from him scince. One came about a week or so ago, a girl named Paine. She seems to be the distant type; a loner; two more have arrived only recently; Paine is seeing to them at the moment. As for lesser nobodies, there have only been around fifty or sixty; we are making sure that they do follow all orders, and then we are considering sending them out to do good deeds, or possibly as guards. Right now, though, they are held in one of the larger basement rooms." King Mickey nodded again.

"Um, I have a question!" said Sora from the back. Anzem turned towards hi.

"Yes, what is it?"

"Um, Do you gusy have any food or anything, I'm kinda hungry." Kairi smacked Sora on the head. "Owies! TT" Sora said sheepishly. "You're a girl. You don't understand hunger." This comment earned him another couple hits. Anzem laughed.

"Of course theres food, I cannot do anything untill I've had my cup of coffee and my cream cheese bagel in the morning! Come, I'll show you to the dining room." He said cheerfully, walking back to the corrider they had exited from recently. Sora followed close behind, thoughts of good food happily dancing around his head. Kairi sighed and followed.

"What is it with boys and _food_?" King Mickey chuckled.

"Minnie often says the same."

* * *

Other than Sora's intial reflex to attack the first lesser nobody-servant he saw, the meal was excellent. Sora was wiping off food crumbs from his face when it hit him.

"Hey, where's Riku?"

* * *

Muhahahah you must wait until tomarow for the previous update's end of cliffi! x3

Axel: ...like theres anyone reading this story who cares -rolls eyes-

Why must you be so mean? ;-;

R&R pweeese? -puppy dog eyes-


	5. Chapter 4 A Nobody's Tale

Sora788 is the AWESOMENESS!!

He has reveiwed EVERY SINGLE CHAPTER AND IS THE AWESOMENESS.  
And he fav'd my story too!! -heart-

GO R&R HIS STORIES NOW.

Axel: You are insane o.O  
You are JUST NOW realizing this?

Sorry for the long wait for an update. Besides the fact I am in India right now, we aht to go to Madurai which is 3 hours away and didnt come back for a couple days, sorry!

Right...on to the story...-evil laughter-

* * *

Chapter 4 - A Nobody's Tale 

It was dark. And cold. She didnt know how she got there. All she remembered was fear; and fire. She was nearly naked and alone, shivering against the hard floor, unable to disern anything in her blindness.

"Hey lookie what we've got here." The source of the voice she could dimmly make out appeared to be male. He grinned, flashing his pointy white teeth. In her already frightened state, this smile in the darkned room scared the girl out of her wits. Larxene clapped her hands together with glee.

"A new toy to play with!"Her voice sounded very young and very cute, like a child; a child filled with malice and hate, and an iresitable yearning for blood and torture.

"Leave me be!" She whimpered, conjuring a small ball of ice and sending it toward her taunters. The female caught it in her metal claw, gleaming ever so slightly in the girl's vision, crushing it and tossing the fragments into the air.

"A snowball? Are you trying to defend yourself with that?" Both parties laughed menacinly. The small girl they were picking on curled up into a ball, trying to hid from them, hoping she might disapear.

"More than you did when you came here." A third voice. Male, sounding more pleasent than the other two. Farther away. The female snarled.

"What do you want?" Larxene summoned a ball of electricity. It cackled and sparked in her hand. THe light it gave off illuminated the room some, and teh girl could see her captors more fully. A tall male with pink hair that looked like it had taken hours to groom, and a tall skinny female, with hair slicked back with what must have been at least two bottles of hair gel. The third, more recently come, was standing by the doorway. Not quite as tall as the other male, but with a fire-red hair all spiked up, and a confident grin spreading from ear to ear on his face. And they were all wearing the same outfit; a long black hoodie. The latter ignored the question, responding

"You summoned two sparks; static electricity, nothing more. And you." He said, looking now at the pink haired guy. "And you, it took you two months for you to be even able to lift that sickle. Instead of rose petals, dried leaves were always dropping around." He ran his hand through his hair, pleased with his witty remarks.

"You punk!" The male growled, summoning a large pink sickle out of nowhere.  
Wait..., a_ pink_ sickle? This observation lessened her fear. The second male's grin widened. He shot a hand forward. Two lare spinning wheels, completly ablaze materialized in midair, encirling the two, spinning round in a firey vortex from which there was no conceivable espcape.

"Xemnas will hear of this!" whine the girl.

"Xemnas cares for nothing but his precious Kingdom Hearts. And it is **my **duty to check on newcomers. Not yours." the fire wheels vanished. The female and male looked very angry, but they remained silent. A dark vortex appeared.

"This is one more injury on your part. You shall soon have to pay." whispered the blonde, here eyes filled with lightning. The male hmphed and turned into the vortex, followed shortly by the girl. The remaining person chuckled, then flicked on a switch. The room was filled with light from the celing light's four fluresent bulbs. The girl, looke up, suprised.

"Ah, much better." Axel said, smiling at the girl. Then he realized she was only in her underwear. He blushed and turned to face the opposite direction.

"Here." He said, pulling an outfit similar to his own and a pair of socks and boots, as well as a dark pair of pants from seemingly nowhere, tossing it behind him within the girl's reach. She scrambled for the clothing, hurridly putting it on.

"That was Larxene and Marluxia. They thrive on others pain. It's best to avoid them until you master your skills. Once you do that, it's easy enough to defeat them." He grinned. "It seems you have ice magic. Can't wait to see what your weapon will be." He paused. "You finished dressing yet?" She blinked a couple times.

"Ye...Yes..." She said, shakily standing to her feet.

"Ok, good!" He turned back around. She had long raven-black hair, and a beautiful clip of crystal holding back some of her hair. She had steely grey eyes, a small nose, and a small mouth that was set in a hard line. Her right ear was peirced twice and her left once, two smal dangling drops hanging from both ears, and a small crystal skull in the second peircing on her right. She fingered her pendant uneasily. It reflected the light as it moved.

"I'm sure you have alot of questions. I'll answer them as I show you to your room." He held out his hand. "The name's Axel. A-X-E-L. Got it memorized?" He grinned. "What's yours?" She heistantly shook his hand.

"I...I'm..."

* * *

sorry to leave you here but i got to run and i wont be back for a ocupel days and i didnt want to leave you guys without an update

R&R!


	6. Ch4 A Nobody's Tale Part II

* * *

Ch 4 A Nobody's Tale Part II 

"I'm...I'm Nobody." She twisted around, removing her hand from his grip. She turned to face him, lifting up her hood so her face was visable. A scar stretched vertically across her left eye, through the edge of her lips, stopping shortly before the end of her face. Her left eye was completly red, a glowing white slit in the center for a pupil, with a second glowing ring surrounding it. Her right eye was normal, a steely grey, but it looked at him with such an eerie gaze;

She spun back around, gliding straight into the dark votex she had conjured behind her, her hair whiping around behind her as she vanished.

Riku stood there for a moment, gazing at the spot where she had been.

"Hey Riku! There you are!" He heard a voice yell behind him. Footsteps growing louder as they cam closer, running down the hall. Riku turned to face the voice. It was Sora.

"Hey, where'dya go?"

"Did you get lost, Riku?" said Kairi, having just caught up with Sora. She ballenced her hands on her knees, out of breath from running after the hyper-active Sora. Riku looked back over his shoulder at where the girl had been. What a weird look...but she seemed so sad...

"Hmm? Oh...yeah, I got distracted and couldn't figure out which way you guys had gone." He said, now glancing back at Sora and Kairi. He could see Anzem and King Mickey were now walking towards them.

"Ok then! Well Come on! Anzem has been showing us around the place!" Sora said. He turned to King Mickey. "We found 'im!" He said, waving at the mouse. Kairi looked at Riku intently.

"Is something wrong? Did something happen while we were gone?" She said woridly. Riku gave her a confused look.

"No...why?" Kairi stood up straight, shaking her head, then giving him another serious look.

"Nothing..." She said, brushing her hair back behind her shoulders, then walking back over to her boyfriend. Riku started to follow, then stopped, turning around to face back at that same spot. _Nothing was wrong...right?_

* * *

She looked over her workshop, where she had speant most of her hours crafting. She dipped her hand into the container of water, drawing out a large blob of dihydrogen monoxide, slowly turning it through the air, channeling the water upwards as she slowly froze it into shape; She tenderly touched the small ice picks, the whitling knife, and her crystaline pencil. She knitted her eyebrows together. She had used that to sketch things to create. Where had her sketch book gone? She opened the various drawers in the desk, looking for the notebook.  
At last, after checking trough the various compartments of her desk and her bookshelves, she found it: a grey spiral notebook, her name in silver at the bottom-right corner. It was completly engulfed in dust from lack of use, so she carefully wiped the top with the edge of her sleeve. She scanned through the pages. So much she had meant to do. Suddenly, she stopped, the pages flipping over to a sketch of a small figurine. She traced the outlines of it with her fingers. She snapped the book shut, placing it on top of her workshop desk.

She hadn't used this area since that time. But why had she come back now? She shook her head. It was meaninless to return here. Only sorrow and misery remained. And the pain that comes from the lack of feeling...lack of the sorrow you should feel. Her mind flashed back to that moment...

_"You want to cry for him, don't you? Well guess what? You can't. You'll try and try, but you'll find nothing; Only emptiness.  
That is what we are, why we are so cold.  
Cold creatures created in a Cold world.  
What is the meaning of existance if you cannot feel anything?  
Not even sorrow?  
Bah! Ours is a cruel Existance.  
Get used to it."_

* * *

It is indeed a cruel existance with no reveiws from anyone...;-;

Axel: see? Told ya so...

WAAH! -runs off crying-


	7. Chapter 5 A New Enemy? Part I

Chapter: 5

* * *

"Many of the rooms are still unfurnished, so you two will be sharing my room for the time being." Paine said as they entered the large room. In one corner lay a plain black bed with black sheets, and a small desk, elegant but simple, also the darkest of black. on the other sides of the room lay two more beds, identical in every way, an eerie shade of white, with two small desks beside them. On the far side of the room, the side without a bed, lay a large window.

"Ooh! Coolness! Yunie, you can see the moon from here! It's such a weird shape, like a heart..." Rikku said gleefully as she bounced over to the window, peering out at the moon that eternally floated above. Yuna glanced around the room, taking in every corner. She turned to the girl beside her.

"I'm still...kind of...confused...what exactly happed? How did we get here?" The was a moment of silence. Finally, Paine spoke.

"I myself am not fully sure. Anzem will explain in much more detail and clarity than I can at this moment. If you can wait until later, you can ask him. He should be able to explain most of your questions." Yuna slowly nodded.

"I understand." She turned arubtly as Rikku suddenly erupted a scream of glee.

"There's a meteor shower!"

* * *

Riku sat at the edge of the platform, deep in thought, as he dangled his legs over the edge. Sora and Kairi were a little ways off, watching the streaking stars on their desent through the atmosphere.  
King Mickey came over to Riku's side. 

"You've seemed a little distracted ever since we got here. Is something wrong?" He asked, concerned. Riku conitunied to star at the ground miles below him. He shook his head.

"No. It's just...somehow I can't quite get used to this now...DiZ...I mean Anzem is here, and the nobodies aren't against us now...but somehow...I don't know, it just feels...weird." Mickey nodded, taking a seat beside his friend.

"I understand." The both sat in silence for a while, watching as the few lingering meterites finished burning through the air, beams of light coming and fading.

Until they heard Kairi scream.

"Eeek!" She shreiked, jumping backwards and calling her keyblade in a single motion, waving it around haphazardly, startled by the appearance of a strange creature in front of her.

It was A deep shade of crimsion, with silver markings. Though it only came up to Kairi's waist, it had two long arms, much bigger than any human's, with sharp claws attached, ready to slice and kill. It walked about on three legs, clacking around like a robot, a firey red eye glowing with malice glaring at the red haired girl in front of it. Riku and Mickey jumped to their feet, running towards Kairi.

"Protectaga!" Rkku yelled, casting a sheild around Kairi as the monster swiped at her. It's attack bouned off the protect spell harmlessly.

"Kairi!" Sora dashed onto the scene, swinging around Oathbreaker in an attempt to cut down the moster.

"Sora! calm down, if you fight sloppily, you'll slip up!" Sora paid Rikku's warnings no heed, letting the creature get out into the open. It stood a few meters away, calculating. Sora was breathing heavily, pausing for a second.

"I'm going to KILL you!" Screamed Sora, coming in for the kill. The monster jumped over the edge, wings sprouting from its back as it glided away. Kairi ran forward pulling Sora back as he almost toppled over the platform to a gorey demise at the ground below.

Anzem ran out from inside the castle.

"Not another one!" He muttered angrilly.

"_ANOTHER _one?!" Questioned King Mickey.

"Yes. A few have popped up earlier. I have only been able to gather a minute amount of information on them. We believe that they are a combination of a heartless and a nobody that originated from the same person. This creature still lacks a complete heart. It can only feel rage and hate, anger and pain, the darkness in all hearts. During your last visit to this place, when Malecifant's heartless and the lesser nobodies fought, many of these must have been created when by chance some of the heartless found their nobodies and fused."

"So does that mean we get to go on another adventure?!?" Yelled Sora excitedly, bouncing over, cutting off Mickey from responding. Anzem chuckled.

"Fortunetly, there are very few of these around, and so far, they have all been weaklings, and were easily taken extinguished. The one we just saw is probably the strongest to have appeared so far. I don't think they should be a problem, perhaps more of an occasional anomaly."

"Awwww..." moaned Sora. Kairi whacked him on the head.

"You think I enjoy you disapearing and risking life and limb all the time? Talk about SEL-FISH!" She crossed her hands over her chest, giving Sora a fake glare. Sora perked up.

"Shellfish? where? I'm hungry!" He said, claping his hands together.

"Well, we can tell _someone_ wasn't paying attention..." said Riku, amused, as Kairi gasped in astonishment, and started repeatedly pummeling Sora's head.

"Baka, baka, BAKA!" She screamed, igniting laughter from the onlookers.

* * *

So, I finally updated! Aren't you nonexisting fans happy?!

>

Well, anyways, though I may probably be talking to my self, I've been really really REALLY busy in school.

I go to one of those smart people schools so the work is really tough and the courses are too and on most days I have classes till around 8:30pm

Bear with me please? ;-;

-cricketschirp-

>


	8. Chapter 5 A New Enemy? Part II

"Chapter 5: A New Enemy **Part II**

* * *

But something was fishy...what were these things? Riku's brows furrowed as he floated deeper in to thought.

Then, He noticed something, something black, in the corner of his eye. A flutter; it moved! And he was off, racing down the edge chasing after the mysterious person he had seen.

"Wait! Come back!" He yelled, but the hooded creature ran, flew quickly away from him, dashing faster than any normal enemy he had seen, black cloak and body a blur as whomever it was raced away.

But Riku did not give up so easily. Using a quick spell, he summoned a glideboard, leaping onto it effortlessly, now skating after the fugitive.

And then, with no warning, they disapeared.

"What?" Riku exclaimed taken off guard. People don't just disapear! Even nobodies had to open up a portal through darkness first.

He slowed his transporation down to a halt, closing his eyes, and feeling around in the darkness to locate the missing person.

_Darkness as a weapon, not part of me, weapon, not part of me, weapon...There!_ His eyes shot open, as he made an arubt turn, dashing only to find himself grind to halt as he hit an invisible aura that deactivated his glideboard. And as he looked up, there, they stood, hood up covering the face.

He heard a short gasp as they turned, surprised that Riku had managed to find their secret location.

"You." He said, drawing out his keyblade and pointing it at the offender. "Who are you and what were those...things, and why where they here."

Ignoring the questions completely, the evidential perpretator pulled forward a dark-portal, and without turning, said so softly that Riku felt, more than heard -

"_Who are you? To hate those of darkness so, but to still use that force how you please. You despise us and yet you are one of us." _With that, they stepped into the portal, gone, leaving a confused Riku, and even more unanswered questions in the wake.

* * *

_Despise...and yet one...? What are they talking about?_

"Hey Riku! Why the long face?" Said King Mickey Peering over to where Riku sat on the edge of the platform.

"Huh?" he said, suddenly disturbed from his thoughts. He turned, to see his good friend the King, "oh...well...I'm not sure..."

"Not sure!" king Mickey said with a hint of bewilderment, taking a seat next to Riku. He stared out into the open expansion of sky, where you could, at last, see stars, twinkling beyond the horizon.

"Well..." Mickey began, "Whatever the matter truely is, I think you need to go talk to Anzem. He was DiZ once, you know..." Riku sighed. There was that too...

"I don't know...this is all...new, and hard to take in..." He stumbled over his words. How could he still be DiZ if he was now a nobody? Nobodies weren't people they weren't anything...

"Go talk to him. Sort things out." King Mickey said, facing Riku once more, "You'll end up having to one way or another. He may be a Nobody, but he's still Ansem." he said with a smile, "And I'm sure he's still DiZ." Riku chuckled.

"Alright, Alright, I'm off." He got up, dusting himself off. "I'll catch you later" He said with a casual wave, as he began to walk towards the entrance back into the main building.

_Sigh..._

* * *

yeah, short chapter, deal with it D

i'll try to have something up tomarow as well though, to make up for this long hiatus.

Not like anybody reads this anyways P

Well, tomarow surely holds an akward conversation, because we all know Riku is racist towards Nobodies :P

we'll have to help him get over that...

Riku: I am NOT Racist D:

Uh...hello? You weren't nice AT ALL to Roxas or Naimine or ANYONE D:

Riku: But...But...I was only trying to get Sora back D;

Psh! You didn't have to be so mean about it! like keeping Roxas in the dark, and never letting him and Namine see each other D:

Riku: But...but... ;-;

* * *


	9. Chapter 6 Coming To Terms Part I

For the one kind soul who reviewed, I have another chapter for you! X3

And for Kori too who is is blatantly amazing and awesome XD

Now we get to some of the more fun parts! :D

Riku: -still sulking in corner-

Oh shush! you know I love you w -huggles-

Riku: ... ..'

Also, i'm adding something new. In the ((double parentheses)) I will sometimes place Artist:Song so you can youtube the name if you'd like and listen to the virtual soundtrack for that part of the story XD

**Chapter 6: Coming to Terms Part I  
**

* * *

((Nox-Arcana: Annabel Lee))

_At first it seemed like nothing. Just a little Black box, with a note on top. _

_It wasn't even a grand letter, just a folded peice of notebook paper, taped in the upper left corner with a shard of Scotch tape._

_But upon careful inspection, the contents of that note would tell of a sad tale..._

_ A tale echoed by the contents of the box_

Marking the beginning of an endless tragedy...

* * *

**"You wish you could cry for him, Don't You? But You Can't!"**

* * *

Having had been previously a resident of this area when he had taken the horrific form of Xenahort, it was with ease Riku located the eerie white room Naimne had initially made residence in. The utter blankness of the walls gave the area a chilling feel; a feeling of nothingness and loneliness she must have felt every second of her short existence. He stood there in silence, looking around the cold room.

"It's weird when your heart remembers this place but your mind doesn't." Kairi said as she came to stand by Riku from where she had been in the shadows. He neither turned to look at her nor ignored her, but continued to mull over his thoughts. She chuckled.

"But at the same time, it's kinda fun! Puts a completely new spin on mine and Sora's relationship." she said with a smile. Riku chuckled slightly. Perhaps in the past thinking about Kairi might have made him sad, but after the years, he had learned to accept his awkward placement in the world. But soon his face returned to that of seriousness, as he sighed.

"I'm sorry," He said, turning to her. She looked at him quizzically, before she understood.

"Oh! Don't worry about it Riku! You were only trying to help Sora!" She said, "besides, you've changed allot since then, you might not have noticed, but you have grown a bit, I think," she paused, "I think we all have, really, but it's all for good." She said, with an unusual sense of philosophy. She turned to ward him, spinning on her heels.

"But that's all relative! I think you're just prolonging awkward conversations, go on and do what you need to do!" She said, poking him in the forehead before running out the door.

Riku watched her leave.

and then the sudden flight reminded him of someone else...

He stared up at the ceiling where remained a solitary picture of a blonde-haired girl in white holding hands with a girl in an organization outfit. This lonely picture must have been placed up here by intent, still here as noone had thought to look up.

Lonely Namine and the Mystery Girl

The Forgotten, even among the Nobodies.

* * *

...And that wasn't a dreary depressing ending at all o.O

Not too long I'm afraid, but it ends nice like that. we'll hopefully have a chapter with a nice chat with Anzem tomarow D

and R&R if your reading! cause if i knew people were reading i would update much more often!

* * *


	10. Chapter 6 Coming to Terms Part II

* * *

  


* * *

  


* * *

OMG three reweiws overnight?! The Apocolypse is coming! O.O

Thanks guys for letting me know you're there! w

So here's another chapter, and hopefully another one later today as well, if mom doesn't catch me ;D

See? I update more when there's reviews XD

Also, since the Anzem reports aren't fitting so well with the story, I shall have them contained elsewhere, under the title "Anzem Reports" for you to look at D

**Chapter 6 Coming to Terms Part II**

* * *

((Shiro Sagisu: Compassion))

Riku sat on the ledge of the balcony, the one at the top of the castle, hidden, and out of reach.  
This had been his one special place, where he could go, where nobody would bother him,  
where he could gaze upon the moon, and be Riku again, and not Ansem the heartless.

"I thought I might find you hear." Came the familiar voice. Riku smiled slightly.

"Of course, that's why i came here in the first place." He said. The cloaked Anzem came to sit beside Riku.

"It does seem kind of ironic, doesn't it? I never really counted the nobodies as people in life, and yet, now I am one."  
He said, bemusedly. Riku sighed.

"This will take some getting used too..."  
Anzem nodded.

"But change has always been an essential part of life. Without change where would we be?  
We would be truely inhuman then, much more so than Nobodies. Besides." He chuckled,  
"This opens up entirely new philologies to discover! It's been a gift, this second life." Riku smiled then.  
He was still DiZ. Perhaps they had been more mistaken about Nobodies, perhaps there was more to them than what they had thought.  
If Personality was still there, than surely something still remained it what had been afore thought off as empty shells.

"So Riku, what do you say?" he said, turning to face him now, "Will you remain my apprentice for one more research project?"  
He said, grinning. Riku returned the smile.

"Of course! Wouldn't miss it for the world!"

* * *

((Nobou Uematsu: Wandering Flame (FFX)))

_ It was a dark and dreary day.  
Though, it had always been this way, in the nothingness between the World that Never Was and the emptiness of space.  
It was always cloudy, with occasional rain, and the sun forever sat still in twilight, the hour between night and day._

She had been here in this lonely place for a year now, even though news had reached her through her last lesser nobody  
that Anzem had let out a proclamation to the former Organization, if any were still alive, that they could come back, if they would behave, of course.

But she had never been good with authority, and after her humiliating defeat, she felt no desire to return.

_and so she remained here, all alone, with nothing but heartless to keep her company. _

_ So as she sat there, in the middle of the barrenness, her thoughts flitting about like fragments of far-off memories  
She began to think on what her life had been, before she had died._

She lived life a cripple  
Depending on others to get her where she needed to go, mocked and ridiculed by many

_Helpless and alone..._

So when she died on that grey day, alone, far away from any familarities, and found herself here, A new life  
A second chance, She flexed her new legs and ran, determined to never let anyone beat her down again.

But still she failed, and in doing so, lost her humanity. 

"Perhaps I should just give up..." She mumbled out loud. It seemed so pointless anyways. A small heartless, a shadow,  
came closer upon hearing her words, tilting its head slightly.  
She ignored it at first. What harm could it do? If need be she could destroy it; one snap of her fingers and it would be gone.  
Yet she left it alone, something about it seemed so benign, and so familiar...

((music stops))

_"I can help you be something again..."_

* * *


	11. Chapter 7 Research Project

MG! I can't believe that chapter was exactly 666 words!! It fits so perfectly too... ;D I'll forgive myself for a short chapter this time XD

Larxene: ...augh! what's happening to meee?! D8

SHHH don't give it away! D:

Also, to avoid 'cramping the style' of this story, I've moved the Anzem reports to their own seperate story.  
I edited the first one, fixed the errors, and added a soundtrack, so even if you've read it already, i'd suggest going over it once more D

Also, i'd like to give credit of the soundtrack idea to Laki Larian, a good friend of mine on several different sites,  
who may not see this credit for a while, as i've only just now started making her read my story XD

**Chapter 7 Research Project**

* * *

((Noriko Matsueda, Takahito Eguchi: Paine's Theme. Begins playing after she asks if Yuna wants to see his room))

"Tidus?"

She responded, "Oh yeah, i think I know who you're talking about, only saw the guy a couple of times,  
before he was off, to some other planet. Said his father had went there during his life."

So he had been here! Perhaps he just came back, instead of dying, like she and Rikku had!

"Ooh! Goodies! Is he still here?" Said Rikku excitedly. Paine shook her head, no.  
"Awww!" She proclaimed, drooping. Yuna's face fell.

"Doesn't mean he's dead though; He took off for Spi-Ra and never came back." Yuna remained silent.  
But if he was here than surely...

"So...this was his original home than..." it was certainly nothing like the Zanarkand he and Jecht had mentioned.

"No," she said, standing up straight now, "This is noone's _home._ He originally lived somewhere else before...coming here.  
I don't know where, I never asked."

"Oh." so everything was still up in the air. She sighed. There was still so much she didn't know about him.

"You wanna see his room?" Paine asked casualy. Yuna looked up, her eyes widening.

"Well, OF COURSE!" Yelled Rikku, jumping up and down, "C'mon Yunie, let's _go_!" she said,  
dragging Yuna behind her as Paine began to walk down the corridor, her boots echoing across the stone floor  
as she led the way down the endless hallways.

As they traversed down the halls, Yuna just barely managing to keep up with Paine's long stride, they continued conversation.

"Where were you from originally?" Yuna asked, peering from the side. Pain stopped in mid step, swiveling around to face Yuna,  
as Rikku lost balance, surprised by the sudden stop.

"I was actually from Hollow Bastion, ages ago, before that Mallicifent got a hold of it, then lived in Traverse Town  
for the next half of my life. Managed to avoid all the heartless and everything, and then I die by falling off a roof.  
A Roof! How ridiculous is that?" She said laughing, almost manically.

"Traverse Town? Hollow Bastion? Heartless? I'm so confused!" Said Rikku in dismay,  
shaking her head as all these brand new names came at her. Paine sighed.

"You'll learn them in time." Yuna slowly took all this in. Though all these new places were unfamiliar  
to her, they couldn't be too hard to find out about.

"But...what about out outfits and all? I would have _never_ worn anything like this at home."  
she said, amused. Paine chuckled again

"According to Anzem, we pick out outfits subconsciously. In fact, I had always aspired to be a rocker,  
and lo and behold, look what I woke up in! I took the name 'Paine', After my stage name." She began walking again.  
Rikku looked down to her scandalous outfit, still confused.

"But...It's almost as if I'm wearing nothing! It's like...underwear! But these sleeves are _so_ cool..." She said,  
already distracted, pulling at the fluffy ribbons.  
Yuna and Paine grinned, Yuna only barely keeping herself form bursting out in laughter.

"You're only proving her point," Yuna said, smiling. Rikku stopped messing with the fabric, to glare at Yuna.

"Oh shush! You aren't wearing too much in the form of clothing either!" Yuna glanced down at her outfit, realizing this was true.

"Same boots though." She chuckled, feeling the many layers of her half-skirt. "And look at this!"  
She pulled up her fake hair-braid, swinging it around like a whip. "Betcha you can't do that!"  
Paine looked on, amused at the two girls.

"Well come on then! We haven't got all day." They began to start down their path once more, when out of nowhere,  
two Neo-Heartless arose from the floor.

Like clock work, Paine pulled out her large sword, Yuna drew the two ornate guns from their holsters, spinning them on her fingers,  
as Rikku prepared her small theif-daggers, bouncing from foot to foot, on her toes.

"Yuna, Rikku, Paine, YuRiPa, let's go!" said Rikku exhuberently.

"Yuripa?" questioned Paine, unsure.

"Works for me," Yuna said, shrugging. She grinned at Paine, who gave the rare grin back.

They lept into action, guns flaring and the clash of steel against claws ringing in the twilight.

* * *

((Orange Range: Spiral (plays softly in the background)))

It was as he initially said, and though, it was a little uneasy at first, things slowly entered back into their normal phase.  
Riku, in the labs, analyzing different samples, studying the behavior of the lesser nobodies.  
With a little inspiration from Kairi, he proposed a set way to get the lesser nobodies, when not at work, to go about  
undoing the harm of the minor heartless, and generally helping the other worlds.

Yet as the week progressed, and little else unusual seemed to pop out at them, with the exception of course  
of periodical Avenger attacks, which were entirely left up to King Mickey and Sora, Riku could not bring up the topic of the  
girl with the scar, though he often wondered about her unusual appearance, along with the new enemies.  
And what weapon could leave such a scar, even on the nobodies, who's accelerated healing, and unusual composition  
allowed for wounds to heal with little to no scarred tissues?

But, he was kept busy, between his work and his navigation of the new areas in the castle, and after a few days, began  
to forget his numerous worries.

However, a dreary event was on the horizon, and he would soon be drawn back into the intricate web of secrets.

...And with his signature grin plastered on his face, Axel slowly came out of the shadows.

* * *

DUNDUNDUUUNNNNN...Long chapter for you there! D  
Let the games BEGIN! D

Riku: oh good lord woman what have you doooone! D8

* * *


	12. Author's Note

AN

Sorry for the lack of updates guys (or singular ;-;), school life has been oh SO busy! .

At the latest, I'll be back to regulary updating at the latest after my first term.

Right now though, I'm going to put the story on hold, and go fix the first few chapters that I wrote when I  
didn't have firefox and its amazing spellcheck.

so, Sayaronara and all that Jazz.


End file.
